Chapter 7: The Man in the Photograph
Rebecca locked the office door before calling the police.
I stood beside her desk, holding my phone so tightly my fingers hurt.
The photograph showed Lily's school entrance. A familiar blue awning. The small flower garden she helped water every Friday.
Someone had been watching my daughter.
And my mother had apparently arranged a meeting with a man claiming to be my dead father's brother.
“Sarah, I need you to sit down,” Rebecca said.
“I can't sit down. Someone is following my child!””
“I understand. The police are on their way. Don't respond to that message.””
I looked at Lily.
She had woken up and was rubbing her eyes.
“Mommy, are we going to school?””
I knelt beside her.
“Not today, sweetheart.””
“Why?””
“Because Mommy has something important to take care of.””
She glanced at my phone.
“Is that Daddy?””
I turned the screen away.
“No, baby.””
She studied my face.
“Are you scared?””
I forced a smile.
“I'm just being extra careful.””
Before she could ask another question, my phone rang.
Mom.
Rebecca shook her head.
“Don't answer.””
But I needed to know what she was thinking.
I accepted the call and put it on speaker.
“Sarah,” my mother said immediately.
“Where are you?””
“Why are you arranging meetings with strangers to see my daughter?””
There was a long pause.
“He's not a stranger. He's family.””
“Richard Hayes is dead.””
“No, sweetheart. He's alive.””
My knees weakened.
“Mom, stop lying.””
“I'm not lying. Thomas told everyone Richard died because he wanted to protect him.””
“Protect him from what?””
My mother sighed.
“Richard made some terrible decisions. He disappeared after a business dispute. Thomas helped him start a new life under another name.””
I looked at Rebecca.
She was recording the conversation.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because it wasn't my secret to tell.””
“You signed a statement saying I was mentally unfit. You helped Daniel take Lily overseas. You knew about the money.””
“Daniel said it was necessary!””
“Necessary for what?””
My mother's voice became defensive.
“For the family!””
I laughed bitterly.
“You mean the thirty-eight million dollars?””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“You don't understand what Richard has offered.””
“What has he offered?””
“A solution. Nathan can receive treatment. Lily can be protected. Everyone can finally stop fighting.””
“By giving Daniel control of my daughter?””
“Sarah, listen. Richard wants to meet Lily. That's all.””
“Then why was someone photographing her school?””
My mother didn't answer.
I ended the call.
A few minutes later, two officers arrived. Rebecca showed them the photograph and the messages. One officer immediately contacted the school to confirm that Lily had not been approached.
The second officer asked whether we recognized the man in the photograph Edward Hayes had promised to send.
My phone buzzed.
An email.
Edward had forwarded the image.
I opened it.
The photograph showed an older man with silver hair, a narrow face, and a small scar above his left eyebrow.
I knew that face.
Not because I remembered meeting him.
Because I had seen it in dozens of family photographs.
It was Richard Hayes.
My biological grandfather.
The man my mother had said died before I was born.
I enlarged the photograph.
There was something else.
A hospital identification bracelet around his wrist.
The image had apparently been taken inside a private medical facility.
I forwarded it to Rebecca.
“Could he really be alive?””
She examined the image.
“Possibly. But we need to verify his identity independently.””
One of the officers received a call.
He listened for several seconds, then turned toward us.
“Mrs. Carter, your daughter's school has confirmed that a man matching this description approached the front office yesterday.””
My heart dropped.
“What?””
“He claimed to be Lily's grandfather and asked to review her emergency contact information.””
“Did they let him?””
“No. The school administrator refused because he wasn't listed as an authorized contact.””
I closed my eyes.
At least someone had done the right thing.
Then the officer continued.
“But he left an envelope.””
“What was inside?””
“A photograph of Lily, a copy of her birth certificate, and a handwritten note.””
He placed the note on Rebecca's desk.
I read it.
Tell Sarah that I know what happened seven years ago. Tell her the child she is protecting is not the child she thinks she is.
My stomach twisted.
“What does that mean?””
Rebecca looked toward the officer.
“Can you determine where he went?””
“We're checking nearby security footage.””
My phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID showed Daniel.
I answered.
“What do you want?””
His voice was unusually calm.
“Sarah, please don't let my mother get involved.””
I stared at Rebecca.
“Your mother? My mother is the one arranging meetings.””
“I'm talking about Patricia.””
“Why?””
“Because she's dangerous.””
I almost laughed.
“You're the man who booked a one-way flight for our daughter.””
“I know what I did.””
“Do you?””
He lowered his voice.
“Sarah, you need to listen. The man claiming to be Richard isn't here to save Lily. He's here because he wants something from her.””
“What?””
“I don't know all the details.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“Just promise me you won't let him meet her.””
Then Daniel said something that changed everything.
“Because Richard isn't Lily's only biological grandfather. There's another man. And he's the one who paid for the entire plan.””
The call disconnected.
I stared at the screen.
Rebecca slowly closed the laptop.
“Sarah, I think we need to find out who Daniel is really afraid of.””
And then the police officer returned with a name from the airport security footage.
The man who had been waiting near our car.
It wasn't Richard Hayes.
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It was my mother's supposedly dead second husband.
My real biological father.
